You’re Probably Not Grilling Burgers This Way—But You Should Be

I’ll admit, I raised an eyebrow when I first heard Modernist Cuisine co-author and culinary innovator Chris Young suggest you can cook burgers directly from frozen. Cooking frozen meat feels like breaking a sacred kitchen rule. But deep down, I knew he was onto something. Years ago, I worked as a line cook at a high-volume casino restaurant in Philadelphia. We’d grill hundreds of burgers to order every night, and guess what? We cooked every single one from frozen.

Why? Not because we were just cutting corners. It was practical, consistent, and fast. No risk of meat going bad in the walk-in refrigerator, no sticky patties fusing, no last-minute scramble to thaw the burgers. And the frozen burgers? They cooked almost as quickly as those pulled out of the fridge, and they were arguably juicier too. Back then, I didn’t know the science. I just knew it worked.

Now I do know the science, and I understand why cooking burgers from frozen might be the smartest move you can make at home, whether on a grill or stovetop.

Why Frozen Works

When you cook a raw burger from the fridge, the muscle fibers (mainly composed of myofibrillar proteins) begin to contract as they warm. This contraction pushes out internal moisture, leaving you with a drier patty, especially if you slightly overshoot your internal temp.

But when you start from frozen, the center of the burger takes longer to heat up. That delay postpones the moisture-squeezing phase, giving the burger time to sear and firm up on the outside before the inside catches up. As chef Young explains in his video on Instagram, this thermal lag is key: “Frozen meat gives you a noticeable bump in juiciness,” because it doesn’t spend as long in the zone where liquid is lost.

My Side-by-Side Tests: Frozen vs. Cold

To see for myself, I ran side-by-side tests with identical patties in two different setups:

Test 1: Frozen vs. cold on a blazing-hot cast iron griddle

Test 2: Frozen vs. cold over direct heat on a gas grill

Griddle Test Results: On cast iron, both patties browned well, but the frozen one had the edge. The longer cooking time gave it a deeper crust and more developed flavor (courtesy of the Maillard reaction), while still maintaining a medium-rare interior. The cold patty looked similar, but was noticeably drier and slightly tougher, especially around the edges.

The frozen patty caused a bit more initial splatter when it hit the hot oil, but nothing dramatic— just enough to notice. It’s the result of surface frost meeting sizzling fat. To minimize this, I recommend patting the burgers dry before putting them on the griddle, lightly oiling the griddle (without overdoing it), using a splatter screen if you’re indoors, or reaching for a high-sided cast-iron pan to help contain the splatter. With a bit of care, the extra splatter is easily managed, and the flavor payoff is worth it.

Grill Test Results: This is where the frozen burger shone. The refrigerated burger hit flare-up city within a minute—rendered fat started dripping, and flames followed. The frozen patty? No flare-ups. It remained more compact, browned more slowly and evenly, and ultimately ended up juicier, pinker, and better-textured in the center. Bonus: It held together beautifully, which is excellent news for those (raising my hand here!) worried about burgers falling apart on the grill.

How to Grill (or Griddle) a Frozen Burger Like a Pro

Here’s the general technique I recommend, with tips adapted from Chris Young’s method outlined in his video:

1. Start with patties that are 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick. Flash-freeze them flat on a tray, then stack with parchment in a zip-top bag.

2. Don’t season before freezing. Salt pulls moisture out over time. Season once the surface is in contact with the pan or grill.

3. Get your pan or grill blazing hot. Cast iron should shimmer with heat. If grilling, use direct heat and clean, oiled grates.

4. Pat the patties dry and place the frozen patty on the grill or a lightly greased griddle, then leave it for two to three minutes. Let the crust build before flipping. In a griddle pan, you may have some initial splatter, but nothing you can’t manage.

5. After the crust has built on one side, begin flipping the burgers about every 60 seconds, adjusting heat as needed. This encourages even cooking and helps prevent scorching.

6. Use a thermometer to ensure doneness: 125 to 130°F for medium-rare, 135°F for medium.

What If You Prefer Your Burgers Well Done?

This method also works just fine for well-done burgers. Just extend the cooking time and monitor the internal temperature. You’ll still get great crust development and even cooking from edge to center, without the risk of burning the outside before the inside is ready.

It’s also worth noting that the USDA recommends cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of 160°F for food safety, since harmful bacteria (such as E. coli) can be present throughout the mix, not just on the surface. If you prefer your burgers rare or medium (I always do), know that you’re stepping outside those guidelines. That’s a personal choice—I’m not here to tell you what your burger should look like in the middle, just to help you cook it better, however you like it.

Final Takeaway: Frozen Is Not a Hollow Hack—It’s a Better Method

Cooking burgers from frozen isn’t just a shortcut—it’s a technique grounded in solid thermal physics and backed by hands-on testing. It solves problems most home cooks don’t even realize they have: unpredictable cook times, flare-ups, moisture loss, and mushy centers. It’s ideal for weeknight cooks who forgot to thaw, meal-preppers who like having frozen patties ready to go, backyard grillers tired of battling flare-ups and dry edges, and crust-chasers who crave deep browning without sacrificing juiciness. It’s also perfect if you ever get a craving for a solo burger—just keep some patties in your freezer, and pull one out whenever you want one. 

This technique isn’t something made up by a newbie food influencer—it’s championed by some of the most science-savvy cooks out there, including Chris Young, whose content first inspired me to try it. If you haven’t tried it yet, grab a frozen patty, fire up your pan or grill, and see for yourself. Need a solid baseline? Start with our grilled burger recipe and try it frozen—you might never go back.